Disk blade for trimming book blocks



Nov. 28, 1950 F. J. CASHIN DISK BLADE FOR TRIMMING BOOK BLOCKS FiledJune 16, 1948 MIMI! HTTORNEY Patented Nov. 28, i950 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE DISK BLADE FOR TRIMMING BOOK OCK Frank J. Gashin, Hanover, Pa.,assignor, by mesne assignments, to De Florez Engineering 1Comn nn In orprated, a corpora ion of (30m ncoticu Application J une 1.6, 1948, SerialNo. 33,412

This invention relates to cutting apparatus, and particularly toapparatus designed for the cutting and trimming of the edges of bookblocks in the manufacture of hooks. In the manufacture of plastic backed01' other adhesively bound books and particularly in the manufacture ofsaid books having a hard casing or cover, it is essential to prepare thebinding edge of the book so that the edges of the individual pages liein one plane. These trimmed edges must lie in one plane and the surfaceof this plane must be of such condition so as to permit the appliedadhesive to penetrate and adhere to the cut edge of each individual leafin the said book block. A principal object of this invention, therefore,is to provide a simple, eflicient, and inexpensive apparatus foreffecting a plane cut of suitable surface condition, in the cutting andtrimming operations, in the binding of plastic bound books. .It may beexplained that this invention proe vides a more efficient and dependablecutting service than is obtained with other cutting arrangements,Heretofore, cutters oi the guillotine type have been extensively usedfor cutting and trimming the edges of assembled books, in cluding theback edge. However cutters of this type, where the book block is heldstationary under direct pressure and the cutting blade is forced throughthe block in a single powerful motion, are subject to two distinctdeficiencies. This operation of h lding the book oc stationary hi t ut eis ced h ou h the bo k block is an p a on p or y ad pt d for in us on ina co in ou o t er d abl rapid p oce s, such as described and claimed inthe copending application of Luis de Florez, Peter de Florez and Owen L.Gore, Serial No. 24,494; filed 1, 1,948, In addition, the resultingtransverse surface obtained by the cut is excessively sn pe h and indeedof a glazed or glossy character, w ieh is, it has now been found,relatively unsatisiacs tory for an adhesive plastic binding, Although amoderately smooth surface is desirable many cases, there should beopportunity for the applied adhesive to penetrate and adhere to the ou ee of each individual leaf in the said book lock, and hen e ref a y so pvi ion tor control of the smoothness of the cut. Generally peaking,utters of the il otine t pe ar i capable of adjustment or change toprovide any, hins l ss han an t em ly o h o t nd a e ill ad p e orinclus n in a continuous r other-- i e d irably rapid p ess, A ur he oject ofthis invention, therefore, is to provide a cutns and rim ngapparatus that may suitablv be included in a, continuous process and inad d-ition will give a transversely cut surface suit-,- ably conditionedto permit application of an adhesive in the binding of plastic backedbooksirrespective of the type of paper used.

Gutters of the ordinary rotary type are in use at the present time andWhile they are not sub: ject to the deficiency of being ill adapted touse in a continuous process, they have been found to be unsatisfactoryin use upon certain types of paper. When cutters of the said ordinaryno,- tary type have been used with certain types of hard or abrasivepapers, it has been found the ordinary rotary knife will build up atremendous pressure in cutting and will, as a consequence of suchpressure, deflect upward or downward and thus cause the cut surface todeviate from a plane.

In addition, evidencchas shown that the surace produced by the ordinaryrotary knife is subject to the same deficiencies, though to a e ser deree han the surface pro u y the above mentioned cutters of theguillotine type, of givin an excessively smooth out across the leaves orotherwi e reventing the attainment of a n orm, square exposu e .of eachleaf edg table tor the adhesive,

The roblem of ma nta ning a suitably sharp d f a rap dly moving cut inevice is pel a acu book manuiacturc, i. .e. in that m y boo ap rs ave arelatively large conn o min al c at-ins or fil ing material, which isapt to dull a knife or other device quite rapidly.

H nc ano her object oi thi nve tio in addiiion to th je ts o rovidi g as mple, eat-H oiont n ens ve a par tus for shooting a pl n out of a suface co dition suitable ior the appl cation of adhesive irrespective ofthe type of paper used, and thus suitable for use in a con:

tinuous process of binding books with plastic or other adhesive, is toprovide a cutter which is adapted to be sharpened without interruptionof said continuing process.

ystems and for oth r purpose wit in the scope of e append d cla m,

Re r in to the d awings: Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of theapparatus as included in a continuous process for g he binding f books:

Fig. 2 is a side view of the apparatus with cer tain parts cut away,orin section generally on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a fragmentary portion of the apparatus;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section, with certain parts cut away on the line 44of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5' is a fragmentary vertical section with certain parts inelevation, generally on line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 1 illustrates the cutter as it would be utilized in a continuousprocess in the binding operation in the manufacture of books. The pagesto be included in the final form of the book are assembled in the propersequence to form the book block III. The book block I6 thereforeconsists of a multiplicity of leaves, assembled after the printing andgathering stages, with the individual leaves in the proper sequence, andassembled in such a manner as to have the respective edges of said bookblock II! approximating plane surfaces. .These book blocks may, forinstance, be an assemblage of individual signatures, each consisting of4, 8, 16, 32 or other usual number of leaves, may be an assemblage ofleaves gathered together in an accordion fold (as here shown) or may bean assemblage of individual, completely detached leaves.

Although other means of holding and transporting the book block II! maybe utilized, a convenient arrangement is to engage it in a clamp IIwhich acts compressively on opposite faces of the block so as to leavethe edges, particularly the back edge I2 accessible for furtheroperations. Preferably, too, the same clamp can be employed to hold theblock through at least many, and

indeed practically all of the succeeding steps in said continuousprocess and the clamp may also serve to transmit motive power to theblock as it moves through successive operations.

With the book block III firmly being held in the clamp II, the block isthen advanced to the rotary cutting blade I3. The rotary cutting bladeI3 consists of a thin disk of suitably rigid material rigidly connectedto and rotating about a fixed predetermined axis Ma. As the book blockis advanced the cutting edge of the rotary cutting blade meets the bookblock II) at a point determined by the mutual positional relationship ofthe blade and the book block as held in the clamp I I. The rateof thecut through the book block I is determined by the speed of the bookblock III as it moves in a fixed path across the rotary cutting bladeI3.

Figures 2, 3 and 4 show the detailed construction of the rotary cuttingblade I3 together with its position and mounting with respect to a bookblock II] undergoing the cutting operation.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of said rotary cutting blade I3. Said bladeI3 consists of a circular disk of rigid material, e. g. hard or hardenedsteel, securely fastened to and rotating in conjunction with anaccurately positioned shaft I4. The shaft I4 is rigidly constructed of asuitable material such as steel and is carefully positioned so as torotate about axis of rotation I4a. Said blade I3 and shaft I4 must be soconstructed and secured so as to permit little or no deviation .from theaxis of rotation I la despite the great pressures developed when cuttingthrough a book block II]. The cutting edge I of the blade I3 is formedby a bevel I8 on the underside I9 of the blade-Fig. 4 showing in detailthis bevelled surface.

The upper surface 20 of the blade I3 contains a plurality of V-shapedslots. IE embedded on said 'dentation or notch I1.

4 surface 20. These slots IE are radially positioned on the uppersurface 20 and extend to the cutting edge I5. The intersection of theslots I6 with the bevelled cutting edge I5 forms an in- These notches Htogether with the unindented sections of cutting edge I5 form alternateindented and unindented cutting surfaces which in effect give a totalcutting edge with a special saw-like character. More specifically, theseslots I8 perform a triple function. In conjunction with the cutting edgeI5, the slots provide a cutting edge of alternate indented andunindented sections. In the first place this type of cutting edge leavesthe surface of the severed edge of the book block 2| (see Fig. 2) in acondition suitable for the application of an adhesive, without anymodification. The surface is of the required degree of smoothness forthe adhesive to penetrate and adhere to the cut edge of each individualleaf in the said book block II]. In the second place these slots l8provide for a relief of the pressures built up as the cutting edge I5traverses book block I0, which pressures normally tend to cause adeviation from a plane cut with the standard type of rotary cutter; thusthe device assures a plane cut, irrespective of the type of paper in thebook block II]. In the third place the slots I6 because they areV-shaped avoid clogging of the cutter in operation. v

Fig. 2 shows in detail the rotary cutting blade I3 cutting through abook block II]. It is to be noted that the axis of the shaft I4 ispositioned so that the plane of rotation of the cutting blade I3 isinclined slightly, e. g. of the order of a few degrees, from the planeof motion of the book block ID. The purpose of this inclination of thecutting blade I3 and the shaft I4 is to prevent possible binding of thecut surface 2I of the book block II! on the upper surface 2!] of theblade I3 and to avoid possible deformation of the cut edges of theleaves, and also to provide clearance for any projecting means (notshown) if the latter is necessary or desired in the structure securingthe blade to the shaft I4. Thus the book block is with the attainment ofdesired smoothness in the trimmed surface of the book.

Fig. 4 presents, in detail, a side view of the cutting edge I5 of theblade I3, showing the slot IS, the cutting edge I5 and the bevel I8 uponthe under side I9 of the blade.

Fig. 5 shows in detail the means for sharpening the cutting edge I5 ofthe blade I3 by a suitable grinding mechanism while in operation.

A grinding wheel 22, e. g. of cylindrical shape is .mounted on a shaft24, to be driven thereby, re-

movably positioned by a bearing assembly 23, so that the plane annulargrinding surface of the wheel 23 may be brought in contact with theentire radial dimension of the bevelled surface I8 and the cutting edgeI5 of the blade I3. The grinding wheel 22, the shaft'24 and the bearingassembly 23 may be moved in a direction parallel to the axis of rotationof said wheel 22 and shaft 24'by manual operation of positioning mechaofcontinuous operation. It will be understood that during the intervals inwhich the rotating 5 wheel 22 is held in grinding position, the bevellededge I8 makes contact with the plane annular surface of the wheel 22 atonly one side or chord of the annular path of such surface.

By way of specific example, with an arrangement as shown in Figs. 2, 3and 4 very satisfactory results have been obtained under the followingconditions:

The illustrated structure is at present believed to be peculiarlyefiective, and therefore preferred, for use in book manufacturingoperation.

I claim:

Cutting apparatus adapted for the purpose described comprising a thin,rigid disk having its periphery bevelled on one side to provide a sharp,

. circular cutting edge, and having a multiplicity plurality of ofshallow spaced grooves, each extending in a radial direction for asubstantial distance toward the center of the disk beyond the bevel andof V-cross-section, said grooves being formed in the other side of thedisk and intersecting said cutting edge and bevelled periphery toprovide a indented portions spaced apart around said periphery.

FRANK J. CASHIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 714,359 Brooks Nov. 25, 19021,975,219 Alexander et a1 Oct. 2, 1934 1,990,967 Wenzel Feb. 12, 19352,028,785 Kleineberg Jan. 28, 1936 2,121,062 Vincke June 21, 1938

